Descent-Gear/MSC Bikes National DH Championships 2009

Peaty, Gee, Dan, Marc Beaumont and Miami are all up in Inners to content the title of British Champ this weekend. Who will be on the podium at 6pm Sunday? Not racing? Why not head up and see - free spectating, trials display from Danny MacAskill and local highland games to keep you entertained.

The Descent-Gear/MSC Bikes National DH Championships 2009.
Supported by British Cycling and Monster Energy.
Saturday and Sunday the 18th and 19th of July 2009.

This weekend sees the most prestigious race of the year for every British Downhill Mountain Bike Racer, the Descent-Gear/MSC Bikes National DH Championships at Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders.

A tough, challenging and varied track awaits the UK's finest and what a line up we have, Steve Peat is the reigning National Champion and will be under huge pressure from the current UCI World Champion Gee Atherton and brother Dan Atherton and a whole list of hungry new comers that want the prestigious National Champs jersey and Gold medal so badly.

Previous winner Marc Beaumont is also on the charge as is Josh Bryceland along with newly crowned Scottish Champion Ben Cathro who will be leading the Clan army along with Joe Barnes and Chris Hutchens.

New age categories for the old boys as we have split the Veterans and Masters age range in half meaning more champions to applaud come podium time on Sunday afternoon.

We have a large marquee, hot and cold food, refreshments and DVD showing Saturday night. Live timing on a big screen, live commentating and all parking and spectating is free!

Stuck at a loose end on Saturday night? We have the living legend that is Danny MacAskill the trials/street demon. ‘The Clan’ Trials Demo will kick off at 18.00 on Saturday in the carpark beside the Traquair Arms in Innerleithen. Bikes and Berms will be setting up a pump track for the weekend in the same area as well.

Getting there. There will be some road closures on Saturday in the town due to the St Ronan's Games. The minor road between Walkerburn (where the camping is) and Innerleithen (where the race is) on the South side of the Tweed will be closed to cars (but not bikes) on Saturday and Sunday. The uplift trucks for the downhillers park here to head off up the hill so be very careful if you are pedalling up to the race.

There are communal showers room at the XC camp site.
No noise after 23.00 please, and turn off generators. Tidy up after yourself and take your rubbish away with you.

There is one supermarket in Innerleithen, this will be closed for the St Ronan's Games weekend, as will all the shops. The nearest supermarkets are in Peebles; Sainsburys (38 Northgate, EH45 8RS) as well as Tesco (Dovecot Road, EH45 8EQ). Peebles will be open as usual.

There is no water on site at the race, but you can fill bottles from the kitchen at the cross country campsite. SEPA have asked us to ask you not to wash your bikes in the Tweed please, it's no good for the trout.

St Ronan's games. The local people of Innerleithen welcome you to come along and enjoy the games, festivities and the fair whilst you are not practising or racing. The games run from the Thursday to the Saturday night, please check out www.stronansgames.org/ for more details, we would recommend the 'Burnin' the De'il on the Saturday for the non-racers.